Good News

I am so glad I wrote that post earlier today! Now I feel like I can give an update with all the background information intact. So, about the rest of today...

Good news...the diarrhea seems to be slowing down! God is at work through the prayers of so many in healing Grace's intestines. She is still having it but not multiple times an hour. Such good encouraging news.

We have also been encouraged today by Grace's level of energy. She is cranky and putting up a big fight with the doctors at nurses. She is holding her head up, looking around more, lifting her head up when she is on her tummy, vocalizing a bit more, and sucking her thumb again. She is a major thumb-sucker but had not been sucking her thumb for the past week. I don't think she had the will or the energy to get it to her mouth. So glad to see that thumb-sucking back! She still does not feel well, is not back to her usual self, but all these things are a step in the right direction.

Another positive is that she ate a whole (small) bowl of rice cereal tonight. Hopefully that means she is getting her appetite back and that TPN or tube-feeding won't be necessary.

We had a visit with the GI team today. This is kind of what we have been waiting on since we arrived at Children's, and it was good to finally have it happen! The GI doc taught us a lot about diarrhea. He thinks that Grace's current problem is secretory diarrhea. Basically, she started off with a normal bug, and now her intestines are so inflamed that they are actually secreting fluid. Since she's had very little to eat or drink but has had such a significant amount of diarrhea, this seemed to him to be the most likely scenario. He is going to test her for celiac disease but is leaning away from the idea that this is what she has. That would be wonderful news if that is the case!! I don't think I have mentioned that Knox and Owen have both had a fever virus with no GI issues in the last month, and the GI doc seemed to think that she might have had the same thing they did but manifested differently. We still have to wait and see how this thing progresses to know for sure.

So, all in all, a very encouraging afternoon/evening. She is still sick, though. We still don't know exactly what is going on with her. We still have to stay in the hospital for a indefinite time period.

They didn't start a PICC today. Tonight, her right leg started swelling, so they decided it might be time to remove the central line and try an IV. They got one on the first try in her head (maybe the only vein left in her body.) Sounds terrible, but it's no worse than anywhere else, and we are so glad they got it on the first try! The central line is still in for the night so they can get blood from it (swelling is under control), but they will remove it when they start the PICC tomorrow and sooner if need be.

God is providing for us in so many ways. Visits from close B'ham friends that I have missed so much and don't get to see often enough. Family, friends, and friends of friends who are employees at Children's. Support from RUF and Justin's ability to stay with me during this time. My parents keeping our boys. The list goes on and on.

We are so tired but in good spirits. Hoping to see more improvement as the days pass.

I don't know if I'll post thorough updates like this every day. It's good for me to write for myself, for my own journal, to think through the day. But, I don't know if I'll feel like it. If you don't hear from us, just keep praying and know that God is at work! We are thankful that He loves us and that he is working all things for our good. Yes, even this is for our good.